LACF was founded in 2001 to acquire and provide resources in support of a wide variety of programs assisting poor and disadvantaged families in Northwest Pasadena. Our four key goals with neighborhood youth are: academic success, emotional health, economic stability, and spiritual growth.

Our Mission

As a faith-based non-profit organization, Lake Avenue Community Foundation is unleashing the God-given potential of at-risk youth, providing the tools necessary to thrive academically, emotionally, economically, and spiritually.

Goals:

Academic Success –

Help students excel academically and attend college.

Emotional Health –

Help students exhibit sound judgment, good problem-solving skills and meet daily challenges that aid in their success and emotional well being.

Our Work

Demographics:
According to the 2000 US Census, LACF serves a neighborhood containing the highest population density in Pasadena, the highest household density (4,715-7,639 per square mile), the highest household size (over 4 persons per household), and the highest Latino population density (64%, and thus the highest density of limited English proficiency students). Another 13% of our neighbors are African-American. LACF’s neighborhood has an estimated 6,161 youths, ages 5-19 years, per square mile. According to the Pasadena Unified School District, of approximately 22,000 students in PUSD, nearly two-thirds live below the Federal Poverty Level resulting in over 14,000 students who are eligible for free or discounted lunch at school. Moreover, in 2005, only 32% (approx.) of juniors district-wide passed the California exit exam. Alarmingly, our experience is that an estimated 50 percent of the students in our neighborhood will drop out of high school, leaving them in a workplace that is already filled with the working poor.

LACF is in relationship with approximately 170 low-income students in Pasadena, cultivating greater community and hope in the lives of these students and their families.

Our Difference

Our programs are focused on making unique and positive contributions in our community while enhancing the lives of the students in our neighborhood through positive adult relationships and asset building. By establishing mentoring relationships with positive role models and linking students with academic tutors, we are able to bring about marked changes in the student's identity, and in turn, affect their value system bringing about a positive change in their behavior and lifestyle. By nurturing, empowering and training indigenous leadership, we are creating a sustainable community and developing the future voice of our community.

We have chosen to go deep with fewer students in order to see lasting and life-long change in their lives.

Get Involved

The reason we are able to make such an impact in Northwest Pasadena is because we have an outstanding team of dedicated volunteers and generous donors! We are constantly looking for people who would like to join our team.

If you are interested in volunteering or giving to the work at LACF, contact Beth Winton,Volunteer Coordinator at
(626) 817-4507 or bethw@lakeave.org.